A Message from the Vice-President (Private Law Careers

V i c e - P r e s i d e n t (Private Law Careers)

Lilian Wan

As Vice-President (Private Law Careers), it is with great pleasure that I welcome readers to a new decade and the 2020 edition of the Private Law Careers Guide! This publication provides an excellent overview of opportunities within domestic and international commercial law firms, and it outlines advice and resources that will assist students applying for clerkships and other opportunities within private law. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of our lives greatly. It is a challenging time, and it is more important than ever to ensure that we equip our student community with digital resources like this Careers Guide and support them in their career goals. COVID-19 has affected every single industry, including the legal industry. It is likely to also impact recruitment processes, with network

ing events and interviews moving into a virtual space. This Guide continues to be a valuable starting point for penultimate students making major decisions about their future career paths. While the clerkship application process can be a challenging time for penultimate students, it is also an excellent opportunity for students to meet legal professionals and learn more about the legal industry. It is an exciting chance to consider how your skill sets and values may fit into the cultures of different firms. Clerkships offer a truly unique opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the culture of a firm and develop enriching professional relationships.

I am grateful to all of our sponsors for their incredible support to the Law Society and its students. Their support has given us the opportunity to run so many of our wonderful initiatives which aim to develop students personally and professionally. I am very proud of the way the Private Law Careers portfolio has navigated the challenges caused by COVID-19 and I am grateful for our team’s enthusiasm in redesigning events for the digital space. I would also like to thank Guy and Josh, our publications directors, for the incredible effort that they have devoted to creating this Guide. Finally, thank you to the co-presidents, Sophie Berton and Justin Song, who have offered their support throughout this year. I am also grateful to our student and alumni contributors who have shared their own professional experiences with us.

Clerkships provide just one pathway into a legal career – remember to explore all avenues. I wish the best of luck to everyone applying for clerkships and other corporate law opportunities!

V i c e - P r e s i d e n t (International)

Chelsea Wu

The International Careers section in this Clerkship Guide gives you an overview of career opportunities beyond those in Australia. As our world becomes more connected, with businesses operating on a global scale, international legal career opportunities are increasingly available. The International Careers section of this guide aims to help students understand more about these opportunities and facilitate connection between students and international firms.

Due to the similarities that the Australian legal system shares with other common law jurisdictions, namely, Hong Kong, the U.K. and Singapore, an Australian law degree equips graduates with the skills they need to succeed internationally. In this guide, we aim to give you some insights into the global opportunities ahead of you, and offer some perspectives into what it’s like to work cross-border and cross-jurisdictionally.

Whilst this guide focuses on career opportunities in Hong Kong, a global economic and legal services hub situated within the Chinese Greater Bay Area, the firms included in this guide are often global law firms with offices in other major cities.

Although the International Careers Fair (previously known as the Hong Kong Law Fair) cannot take place this year under the current pandemic, the participating firms have provided us with information regarding career opportunities in Asia. However, if you are not planning to apply this year, be sure to check out the Fair in 2021!

Vacationer schemes are a great opportunity for penultimate and final year students to immerse themselves within the local working culture and lifestyle of the region of interest. Each firm is different, but there are usually 1-2 intakes throughout each year and each program lasts for 4 to 8 weeks in length. Some jurisdictions may require Australian graduates to meet conversion requirements in order to be admitted for practice. We have extracted admission requirements in 5 popular jurisdictions in this guide, so we highly recommend you to check early, do your own research on the firms and regions that you are interested in, and plan your degree progression accordingly! Finally, on behalf of the International Portfolio, we wish you the best of luck with your applications!